2011 ACO series combined calendar; a work in progress - Page 3

chernaudi · 30 Sep 2010, 19:39 (Ref:2767396)

I think the ACO struck out on this one. In '06 Audi showed up at Le Mans with the R10, the test was held two weeks before the race and they did just fine. What's wrong with that system of doing things?

Victor_RO · 1 Oct 2010, 04:01 (Ref:2767584)

It's probably going back to the test/prequalifying days of yore which were held quite well in advance. I can't see any other reason except for a couple of Frenchmen feeling overly nostalgic.

HORNDAWG · 1 Oct 2010, 15:14 (Ref:2767791)

ACO release date for test day being Sunday April 24th. One week after Long Beach. So that basically makes the teams having to choose between going to LB or participating in the testday! What a frakking crock o ****e!!!!!! So that means the ALMS can only get in 1 race before Le Mans with this BS of a test day. What a bunch of brainless stupid idiots!!

L.P.

HORNDAWG · 1 Oct 2010, 15:18 (Ref:2767794)

2011 ACO series combined calendar; a work in progress

•
•
Sebring WDWT Feb. 9th -10th ALMS
•
Test Paul Ricard (was) March - 7th / 8th LMS A week earlier?
•
Sebring 12hr Sat. March -19th ALMS (ILMC)
•
Paul Ricard (was) April 11th LMS First weekend of April?
•
Long Beach Sat. April -16th ALMS
•
Le Mans test day Sun. April -24th
•
Spa Franco champs (was) May 9th LMS (ILMC) either the first weekend or middle of month depending on LM test day?
•
Le Mans Sat.-Sun. June -11th/12th (ILMC double pts.)
•
Lime Rock Sat. July-9th ALMS
•
Algarve (was) July 17th LMS
•
Mosport Sun. July -24th ALMS
•
Mid Ohio Sat. Aug.-6th ALMS
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Road America Sun. Aug.-21st ALMS
•
Hungaroring (was) August 22nd LMS August 13th?
•
Baltimore Sat. Sept.-3rd ALMS
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Silverstone (was) September 12th LMS (ILMC) Sept. 10th into the night race?
•
Laguna Seca Sat. Sept.-17th ALMS
•
Petit Sat. Oct.-1st ALMS (ILMC)
•
Zhuhai (was) November 7th AsLMS (ILMC)
•
Fuji 6hr (not yet set) AsLMS (ILMC)

L.P.

sceptic · 2 Oct 2010, 20:57 (Ref:2768375)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

So there's a rumour that the Le Mans test day will be week after Long Beach race. What kind of sense does that make, is ACO looking at all what's happening in their other series?!

The ALMS is not their series though. The LMS and ILMC are their series.

Simmi · 2 Oct 2010, 23:57 (Ref:2768458)

So Scott Atherton just tackled the question of the test day/Long Beach dilemma on Radio Le Mans. He said a lot of the issue is due to the availability of the track. More importantly he said it will be possible for teams to have some form of representative there which can lead to data sharing for the ALMS regulars. Although how you convince the European teams to pass over their data to teams they will be fighting tooth and nail against is going to be interesting.

Looks like this will only be a problem next year.

Deleted · 3 Oct 2010, 01:13 (Ref:2768491)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sceptic

The ALMS is not their series though. The LMS and ILMC are their series.

You know what I meant. And even if it's sanctioned by IMSA, they must understand how negatively it's affecting many of the competitors entering the Le Mans 24 hours.

HORNDAWG · 3 Oct 2010, 03:57 (Ref:2768523)

nm

L.P.

carsten66 · 3 Oct 2010, 17:40 (Ref:2768709)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmi

So Scott Atherton just tackled the question of the test day/Long Beach dilemma on Radio Le Mans. He said a lot of the issue is due to the availability of the track...

But the ACO didn't know the Long Beach Date for years now?

Simmi · 3 Oct 2010, 18:06 (Ref:2768720)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carsten66

But the ACO didn't know the Long Beach Date for years now?

Not sure what you mean but I guess they figure they couldn't get the track in the May date that the ALMS heads wanted due to it being a public road etc. Obviously so is Long Beach but what can you say. I'm assuming the test day has to be on a Sunday to limit the disruption.

Theoretically it could pour with rain during the test day and the date it could be not that useful. The ALMS teams just need to weigh up the pro's and con's I suppose. They don't have to go to the test to enter the race.

I'm sure there will be a lot of spare cars and deals and driver movement. It will be interesting to see how they get round it.

HORNDAWG · 3 Oct 2010, 18:27 (Ref:2768724)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmi

Not sure what you mean but I guess they figure they couldn't get the track in the May date that the ALMS heads wanted due to it being a public road etc. Obviously so is Long Beach but what can you say. I'm assuming the test day has to be on a Sunday to limit the disruption.

Theoretically it could pour with rain during the test day and the date it could be not that useful. The ALMS teams just need to weigh up the pro's and con's I suppose. They don't have to go to the test to enter the race.

I'm sure there will be a lot of spare cars and deals and driver movement. It will be interesting to see how they get round it.

I'm pretty sure he means that LB has been at or near that date for YEARS. And the ACO should know that!

Scott Atherton, the ALMS, is taking this one on the chin and showing good grace and face for the ACO in not publicly saying exactly how they feel, politics!

The idea that it needs to be that far in advance of the race is a farce of the LARGEST proportions!! Just keep on drinking that Kool Aid.

The assertion that it is just a thing to the ALMS teams as menial as flipping a coin is c-r-a-p! ALL of the ALMS teams know how important every race is in the ALMS to the teams and fans, yes the ALMS actually has those that attend races! It is also very clear to the teams that plan on going to Le Mans how important attending the test day is if you want to stay on a competitive level with the other teams that do attend! Is it mandatory, no! Is it madatory if you wish to actually be competitive in your class, YES!

L.P.

Simmi · 3 Oct 2010, 18:45 (Ref:2768731)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Scott Atherton, the ALMS, is taking this one on the chin and showing good grace and face for the ACO in not publicly saying exactly how they feel, politics!

I didn't hear him on SPEED but on RLM he really did a great job like you say. For such a bad situation he could not have been more diplomatic. As he rightly said the teams should not be forced into making the choice. No two ways around it, it sucks.

cmk · 3 Oct 2010, 19:01 (Ref:2768735)

I thought SA's RLM interview was one of the better ones I've heard him give, and not merely because we didn't here a single utterance of the now-comedic catchphrase. He did a good job being politic while never saying he was happy about something he clearly is not chuffed with.

I'm unclear whether he hopes or believes that the test day will disappear completely after 2011 or whether it will move back to its more recent date a couple of weeks before the race. I personally think the latter is reasonable but I'm betting he hopes for the former.

Simmi, interestingly enough my interpretation was that the test day could not be scheduled in May as requested because of pre-scheduled activities on the Bugatti circuit, not because of difficulties booking off the public section. I'm guessing that as far as the motorway closure is concerned, one weekend is generally as good as another.

Simmi · 3 Oct 2010, 21:19 (Ref:2768818)

CMK you are probably right with that. It was about 1am UK time when he said that I may have been flagging slightly.

**joeb** · 4 Oct 2010, 16:11 (Ref:2769245)

The one thing I picked up from the SA interview is that this test day is only certain for 2011. Scott said that after that the test day will again be dropped.

NaBUru38 · 16 Oct 2010, 19:46 (Ref:2775862)

From the Forumla 3 Euroseries' 2011 calendar, here we have two dates: Paul Ricard on April 1-3, Silverstone on September 9-11 (sandwiched between Baltimore and Laguna Seca!!!)

**joeb** · 29 Nov 2010, 19:06 (Ref:2797303)

Well I think we now have a complete calendar announced.

Feb 9-10: Winter Test ALMS
Mar 11-12: Official Test LMS
Mar 16-19: Sebring ALMS/ILMC
Apr 1-3: Castellet LMS
Apr 15-16: Long Beach ALMS
May 6-8: Spa LMS/ILMC
July 1-3: Imola LMS/ILMC
July 8-9: Lime Rock ALMS
July 22-24: Mosport ALMS
Aug 4-6: Mid-Ohio ALMS
Aug 18-20: Road America ALMS
Sep 2-3: Baltimore ALMS
Sep 9-11: Silverstone LMS/ILMC
Sep 15-17: Laguna Seca ALMS
Sep 23-25: Portugal LMS
Sep 28-Oct 1: Petit Le Mans ALMS/ILMC
Nov 12: China ILMC

Deleted · 29 Nov 2010, 19:30 (Ref:2797307)

September is going to be rather busy. At least no clashes betwwen LMS and ALMS this time.

Gap between Long Beach and the next meeting is still ridiculous (god damn test day), but all in all, sports car year 2011 doesn't look too bad. Getting excited already.

Acid09 · 29 Nov 2010, 19:38 (Ref:2797313)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

The one thing I picked up from the SA interview is that this test day is only certain for 2011. Scott said that after that the test day will again be dropped.

Heard that too and it sucks. The test day is a Le Mans tradition and well liked by many fans including me...I will defintely be there next year.

I can't understand why the ACO drops it just because the ALMS says so...they should finally show some balls and don't let themselves get bossed around by the ALMS.. after all it's only a handful of teams coming over anyways.

I think it's time for a reality check with some of the ALMS executives. Compared to the LMS and ILMC, their championship is the weakest especially as 2011 isn't looking like much of a improvement either with their laughable TV schedule.

JAG · 29 Nov 2010, 20:04 (Ref:2797324)

If it wasn't for the ALMS Corvette and Acura wouldn't be in the sport.

The test day is a luxury from the days when there wasn't a full European and NA schedule of ACO races. This year it's apparently needed to test the new prototypes ahead of race week but after that who's going to lose out if it's scrapped?

Acid09 · 29 Nov 2010, 20:10 (Ref:2797326)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

If it wasn't for the ALMS Corvette and Acura wouldn't be in the sport.

The test day is a luxory from the days when there wasn't a full European and NA schedule of ACO races. This year it's apparently needed to test the new prototypes ahead of race week but after that who's going to lose out if it's scrapped?

Corvette, okay, I give you that... but Acura had like zero influence on sports car racing in Europe.

It's not about who's going to lose, the test day is part of Le Mans - A tradition. Go watch what happens if you take something traditional away from an American event... but appareantly it's okay to do that in Europe.

I don't care what the ALMS does with their schedule or which 4th grade TV stations televise their races but they can't mess with Le Mans in any shape or form. That event is bigger as their whole series....series come and go but Le Mans is here to stay and I somewhat feel that the ACO needs to work a little harder to protect that.

Fogelhund · 29 Nov 2010, 20:28 (Ref:2797333)

We talking about Practice?

**joeb** · 29 Nov 2010, 20:33 (Ref:2797336)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

We talking about Practice?

If that was an Iverson reference I'm on the floor!

Fogelhund · 29 Nov 2010, 20:55 (Ref:2797342)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

If that was an Iverson reference I'm on the floor!

I wasn't sure anyone would get that in here.

GT-Eins · 30 Nov 2010, 04:21 (Ref:2797459)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Well I think we now have a complete calendar announced.

Feb 9-10: Winter Test ALMS
Mar 11-12: Official Test LMS
Mar 16-19: Sebring ALMS/ILMC
Apr 1-3: Castellet LMS
Apr 15-16: Long Beach ALMS
May 6-8: Spa LMS/ILMC
July 1-3: Imola LMS/ILMC
July 8-9: Lime Rock ALMS
July 22-24: Mosport ALMS
Aug 4-6: Mid-Ohio ALMS
Aug 18-20: Road America ALMS
Sep 2-3: Baltimore ALMS
Sep 9-11: Silverstone LMS/ILMC
Sep 15-17: Laguna Seca ALMS
Sep 23-25: Portugal LMS
Sep 28-Oct 1: Petit Le Mans ALMS/ILMC
Nov 12: China ILMC

Just my concern:

The LMS-Final is just one week ahead of the PLM
So Teams will drop either the one or the other.
A weak grid at the LMS-Final will initiate discussions wether the series is worth being continued. So maybe even after the LMS-grid is known (I bet on much less teams than last year) we may start this discussion soon.

So: is this the last season of the LMS?